Monroe: Greek center envisions future with the Spurs

[Riverwalkman]

Wearing brace isn't that terrible, I kinda think Olajuwan was wearing braces on both knees throughout his career.

[Samr]

Ok, this was put up in the game blog, but I think it'll make for a decent thread. In short, the Greek center was offered a contract by the Spurs this summer, declined it because he wanted a few more years in Europe, but wants to play for only the Spurs in the future.

Him and Tiago Splitter would make a nice combo in the post, from what little I've read about his game.

By Mike Monroe - Express-News
When Ioannis Bourousis took the AT&T Center floor Friday for Greek basketball power Olympiacos Piraeus, he envisioned returning someday.

Bourousis, a 6-foot-11 center, turned down a contract offer from the Spurs this summer, telling coach Gregg Popovich he didn't feel he was ready for the NBA. But playing for the Spurs remains his dream.

“I'm anxious to play, not only against Tim Duncan, but also against the whole team,” Bourousis, 25, said before tipoff. “I had two or three offers from other (NBA) teams, but if I decide to play in the NBA, it will be in this facility.”

Bourousis wasn't perfect — he missed 3 of 5 shots and committed four fouls — but he did nothing to alter the opinion Popovich formed when scouting him at the 2008 European Final Four in Berlin.

“As soon as I saw him I started thinking: Vlade Divac,” Popovich said, recalling the former NBA star from Serbia. “His body language, his gait, the way he shoots, the way he moves on the floor ... He's good inside and outside. He runs the floor well, and he's got great hands. He's a very skilled young man.”

When Bourousis feels ready to make the jump, he said San Antonio is his first choice.

“I would like to play two more years in Euroleague, and then to come (to San Antonio),” he said. “In the future, if they still want me, and it is the right expenses, probably I will come.”

That news was welcomed by Popovich.

“That's OK with me,” he said. “I think he's fantastic.”

Duncan's brace to stay: The brace Tim Duncan has been wearing on his left knee throughout the preseason will remain for the entire season.

Duncan scored 10 points and grabbed five rebounds in his first preseason action Friday.

“It feels pretty good,” he said. “I've gone through four or five braces this summer, trying to find the right one. That's the one that feels good so far.”

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/s...the_Spurs.html

[Riverwalkman]

Why is that he wants to stay in Europe? He's already 25, I thought he was better as a back-up pf than Haislip, with LLE.

[Spursfan092120]

Why is that he wants to stay in Europe? He's already 25, I thought he was better as a back-up pf than Haislip, with LLE.

He wants to stay because of the money..there's no way he'd come here for the LLE when he's making what he's making over there.

[TDMVPDPOY]

the greek owners would probably match or up the ante on his contract....if a nba team does give him a offer sheet

[CGD]

I believe it's a three year deal, so he would get here right after Duncan apparently retires.

Bourousis will be just shy of 29.
Blair will be 23.
Splitter 27.
Ian 26.

If they are all here and don't suck, of course.

Blue sky.

Random question: Anyone have a sense of which player has the better back to the basket game? I understand Bourousis to be more of a finesse player and Splitter a banger.

[thispego]

That's gotta be the first time somebody used that word here...and from an Aussie....so much for the Croc Dundee stereotype.

lol ruffnready is the queen of xenophobia on spurstalk

[Manufan909]

Duncan is wearing a brace on his left knee, as he did over the summer. That's the knee he had surgery on in 2000, it's not the knee that had the tendonosis last year. I'm not sure what will happen with his right knee. My guess is we'll see it sleeved soon enough, if not braced for some games.

So what is the reasoning for the brace? And that's not good to hear, you'd think the brace would be on the recently hurt knee.

[Manufan909]

Either or, we've spelled it the same way. You've gone phonetically, I did it the way I did way because of where he put the hyphens in his post.

My point was that it is insulting when you put the word "whatever" in the middle of a foreigner's name, especially one as easy to spell as that. It is unnecessary, ignorant and xenophobic.

Good to see you kicking ass and taking names again... with unnecessarily, as well as consecutive, big words.

[Manufan909]

Damn, we finally get Bourousis confirmation. Looking back at it, it's possible that neither Rasheed Wallace nor Antonio McDyess were the first option. It could have been this cat.

Wow.

Hey timvp, random question. Do you make your post box bigger on purpose, or is that a perk of being one of the site's creators?

And by wow, do you think he would've been a bad choice for a first option? I can't remember what his exact skills were, but he seemed like a solid player, I think supposedly better than our other Euro big prospect :tiago , 50/50 chance, ad I get it wrong.

[duncan228]

So what is the reasoning for the brace? And that's not good to hear, you'd think the brace would be on the recently hurt knee.

Duncan was asked after the game if the brace was a 'precaution', his answer was 'kind of'. I interpret that to mean it could be more than precaution, he may need it for whatever reason.

I'm assuming that no brace on his right knee means there's no need for one. I expect to see it sleeved at some point, that's what he did last season a few weeks before the tendonosis was diagnosed. If it acts up I expect we'll see a brace on that knee too.

Both knee issues are here to stay. His left knee has been chronic for several years. The tendonosis is always going to have the possibility of flaring up. It is what it is. He's under the best of care and I trust him to do what's best for his health and his game.

[remon]

He wants to stay because of the money..there's no way he'd come here for the LLE when he's making what he's making over there.

It's not only the money, I've read an interview of his a couple of weeks ago where he was saying that he wasn't feeling physicaly ready to enter the NBA.

[mogrovejo]

Random question: Anyone have a sense of which player has the better back to the basket game? I understand Bourousis to be more of a finesse player and Splitter a banger.

Splitter, by far. Bourousis is more of a face-up jump-shooting big. Think an old Rasheed Wallace of Okur. Splitter creates his offense down low or rolling to the basket after screenballs. Think Andrew Bogut.

Bourousis is also a good rebounder, better than Splitter. His problem is that he's very slow-footed, laterally and changing ends. Unless he improves his quickness, he's going to be a massive defensive liability in the NBA. That's Splitter's best asset, he's a top notch defender, great combination of speed, size and awareness.